Mascherano and Gerrard

[Alpha]

I don't think you can underestimate the value of a world-class ball winner.

One of, if not the most important phases of play in football, especially English football, is the transition from defence to attack.

Mascherano gives us an ability to counter-attack that no other player in our squad can. Not only does he turn-over possession himself, he offers a level of protection that allows our attacking players to advance more freely.

Alonso is the king of possession football but even with Torres, I don't think we are clinical enough to win a league title playing possession football alone.

Can anybody remember a League winning side that couldn't counter-attack effectively?

[Roboklopp]

It doesn't matter who plays in the middle, without a world class winger and a decent partner for Torres we won't be challenging for the league.

As many signings as we've made, we're still 2 or 3 more match winners short of a championship winning side.

Personally, I'd be thinking of a clear out for next season. We've brought in some new blood and now its time to get shot of those that are clearly never going to improve or are passed their best. Kewell, Riise, Crouch, Voronin, Kuyt, Hyypia, and Momo should be sold. Voronin may be worth keeping as a squad player, but I think he's probably the only player there that would be happy enough to sit on the bench, but I'd rather it be a young and hungry striker on the bench.

Aye, although on current form I think it is more than worth keeping Sami as a back-up CB for another year or so. Admittedly we need another one,but Rafa has said He could see Sami stopping put for another year or 2. At his age & given how much he loves us, I could see Sami happy to be a squad player next year- wont that be his 10th year with us??

[AFII]

I don't think you can underestimate the value of a world-class ball winner.

One of, if not the most important phases of play in football, especially English football, is the transition from defence to attack.

Mascherano gives us an ability to counter-attack that no other player in our squad can. Not only does he turn-over possession himself, he offers a level of protection that allows our attacking players to advance more freely.

Alonso is the king of possession football but even with Torres, I don't think we are clinical enough to win a league title playing possession football alone.

Can anybody remember a League winning side that couldn't counter-attack effectively?

Wenger for example builds the whole system around quick counter attacks. They have a lot of possession but most of their goals are scored on the break.

[paulcooper4]

Masher bought the ball out of defence very well today and even dribbled into their area. Masher is the dogs bollocks. We need to find a way to combine SG, Masher and Alonso.

-------Torres--Babel---------

Yossi--Alonso--Masch--Gerrard

[sonsofthedesert]

43.75% won - of games they have been paired in CM this season. 7 GAMES
31.25% have been drawn 5 GAMES
25% lost 4 GAMES

Compared to a seasons average for the team of:
56.7% W 17 GAMES
26.7% D 8 GAMES
16.7% L 5 GAMES

Thanks mate, was just asking tongue in cheek though.
Does make interesting reading though, but is only half the picture really as they could have been very good the games that were lost and other area's of the team let us down. But as i said does make interesting reading and would prove that they aren't as good a pairing based soley upon stats as we believe.

[dww]

I still feel that we don't have the pace in our attack to play with Mascher and Gerrad against the best teams. Kewell, Benayoun and Kuyt are all unlikely to get behind a defende using pace/acceleration which is in general the easiest and most difficult to counter way to do it. To an extent this ties in with our problems counter attacking as we almost exclusively look to hit Torres on the break which is easy for the opposition to anticipate.

Maybe there is hope that Babel will continue to grow as a player and offer a genuine option. I also think that Pennant when he returns will to some extent help give us another option with some pace, although he too is a far from ideal option.

For me I think that given the rest of the team if we have to pick a pairing from the three I would go with Alonso and Gerrard I think it offers a more progressive platform and they complement each other when they play better than the theoretically perfect Mascher/Gerrard partnership.

I still think that playing Mascher and Alonso and allowing Gerrard to give us extra pace/acceleration/penetration further up the pitch would be good.

[AFII]

4-2-3-1 is the best suited system for us right now IMO. That would allow us to use our central midfielders in the best possible way with Gerrard playing in a free attacking position.

--------------Masch----Alonso/Lucas-------
---------Babel------Gerrard-----Kewell-----
--------------------Torres-----------------

[Jayesh87]

4-2-3-1 is the best suited system for us right now IMO. That would allow us to use our central midfielders in the best possible way with Gerrard playing in a free attacking position.

--------------Masch----Alonso/Lucas-------
---------Babel------Gerrard-----Kewell-----
--------------------Torres-----------------

I agree with the delouded one

[JohnDoe]

Benayoun should be ahead of Babel though.

[dww]

4-2-3-1 is the best suited system for us right now IMO. That would allow us to use our central midfielders in the best possible way with Gerrard playing in a free attacking position.

--------------Masch----Alonso/Lucas-------
---------Babel------Gerrard-----Kewell-----
--------------------Torres-----------------

I agree with the general ideal but would like to see Benayoun involved.

[Jayesh87]

I agree with the general ideal but would like to see Benayoun involved.

bench warmer

[dww]

bench warmer

I think he consistently is more creative that either Kewell or Babel at the minute. Both the aforementioned players have done well from the bench but have been less effective when starting. Kewells main argument for a starting above Benayoun IMO is that he has a better left foot.

I think there is also an argument that Gerrard could at times play right in that formation to allow Babel to play more centrally.

[Jayesh87]

I think he consistently is more creative that either Kewell or Babel at the minute. Both the aforementioned players have done well from the bench but have been less effective when starting. Kewells main argument for a starting above Benayoun IMO is that he has a better left foot.

I think there is also an argument that Gerrard could at times play right in that formation to allow Babel to play more centrally.

It was just a joke mate.

I totally agree with you, he has been our most creative player reccently. Although at times his decision making isn't the best and he takes on one to many players. I think he would be ideal playing just behind Torres tbh.

[AFII]

I think he consistently is more creative that either Kewell or Babel at the minute. Both the aforementioned players have done well from the bench but have been less effective when starting. Kewells main argument for a starting above Benayoun IMO is that he has a better left foot.

I think there is also an argument that Gerrard could at times play right in that formation to allow Babel to play more centrally.

We have some very good attacking players that would be excellent played behind one striker and they wouldn't have any problem to change positions with each other during the games.

Benny could be one of the three.

For the above to work we need better fullbacks that offers us more in the attacking half. They would create the width.

[paulcooper4]

It was just a joke mate.

I totally agree with you, he has been our most creative player reccently. Although at times his decision making isn't the best and he takes on one to many players. I think he would be ideal playing just behind Torres tbh.

I cant wait til we have alonso and benayoun on the field together regularly, these 2 are the same breed when it comes to footballing intelligence and the strikers will thrive off it.